A New Game
by Authorqueen
Summary: Based on manga - it's the next generation of kaitou; with Kaitou Tenshi Fin Fish as our heroine. Yet Nagoya Natsuki is haunted by her past life, and despite accepting her role as kaitou, her life as a tenshi is coming back for her. A bit OOC. R & R Plz! x


**A New Game **

_by _

_+ Queenie +_

_Tick...tick...tick...tick...tick...tick..._

_DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG!.._

The old grandfather continued to chime. 12 times. Midnight. Up the stairs, across the landing, at the door at the end of hallway. Listen at the oaken door, and hear the sound of whispering. "Are you ready?"

A dim nightlight flicked on, and a figure whipped from her bed, grabbing a gold chain, from which hung a small rosary; gold, with a green emerald encrusted in the middle. Her hair fell in auburn brown tresses, reaching her hip, parting at her forehead, it raised itself naturally before falling into her bright blue eyes. A small, hazy gold orb flew around her head frantically, whispering "You're late again! I would not be surprised if Celesta has already beat us. You are so lazy! HURRY UP!"

The young girl flung on some three-quarter-length jeans and a white tank top, before giving the orb a miffed look, hissing "Will you just can it, Zen?! I'm doing the best I can!"  
She pulled on her trainers, not bothering with the laces, and, turning off the night-light, slowly pushed her bedroom door open. She tiptoed over the soft, carpeted landing, past her Parent's bedroom door. It was slightly askew, so she had forced herself not to breathe whilst passing it. Their skills were rusty, it was true, but they weren't derelict. Her father had caught her on two prior occasions, by hearing the creak of the floorboards. With precise and careful footing, she avoided the creaky pressure points, and lightly escaped to the downstairs hallway. Pulling the front door open, she slipped through into the cool night air, the glowing orb close at her heels.

The sound of her running was barely audible as she made her way through her front gates and down the long driveway. The ominous lights of the hospital lit her face briefly. The sign read clearly at its entrance: "Nagoya Hospital". She looked away from the sign, the glow of the clinic light, pointedly. God, she hated that place, the way it wanted to dictate over her future, the way it stole her father away for over fourteen hours a day, seven days a week. She shook her head, attempting to rid herself of all pointless thoughts. The board was set, she had to get her head in the game.

She clambered up the brambled wall, standing on the roof of a tall house, the wind tousling her hair and caressing her skin. The golden orb floated next to her like a bubble, which popped abruptly, revealing a young, male, miniature angel, with pale gold hair and matching eyes. The sleeves of his attire were long and flowing, his robe coming to his hip. A gold waistcoat held the look together, with black leggings that came to his knees setting off the burning gold. He gave her a bored look. She puffed her cheeks angrily. "I can't exactly do this on my own!" she growled. He shrugged, then, summoning his strength, the amber, circular gem set on his forehead sent forth a beam of light, hitting the rosary dead in the centre of the emerald. The rosary immediately detached itself from the chain, growing five times its original size. She stopped, gazing thoughtfully at the rosary in her hand.

"Hey!" she started, seeing Zen's irked face glaring down at her. "You're already late, Natsuki! Hurry up and transform!"

Natsuki stuck out her tongue at the Jun-Tenshi, feeling satisfaction as he sweat-dropped. She held her rosary up to the crescent moon, crying out "Power of Kami and heart of Fin Fish, lend me your strength tonight!"

A familiar sensation flooded through her body, like she was being filled up with delicious, invigorating water. Green light danced before her eyes, blinding her momentarily. A few moments later, she realised her long hair was now a vivid shade of green, as were her eyes. She wore a light, white sleeveless tunic which came to her mid-thigh. Underneath the lower part of her tunic was a forest green mini-skirt. A gold cord tied around her waist, and brown, knee-high boots. And lying harmlessly on her front was the emerald green rosary. She smiled, then, with one gesture, a golden bow appeared in her hands, which seemed to load itself with a golden arrow, with green feathers. She smirked, letting the feather fly. Her traditional warning to the police. She was but five minutes away from site.

White wings sprouted from her shoulder-blades, and she floated easily to the target's scene. She landed on a nearby rooftop, calling out as her wings faded from view: "Kaitou Tenshi Fin Fish, Huntress of Hearts. I will have the elusive beauty!"

"Kaitou Fin!"

"She's here!"

"Get her, Bakas!" trilled the familiar voice of Minazuki Miyako. After seeing her son leave for college, Miyako had finally returned to her work as a detective. Much to Fin's and Zen's chagrin. Fin jumped with grace to the opposite roof, slipping though a window into the empty, echoing hallways. She held her palm out in front of her, whispering "Let there be light...".  
A small, flickering light, like a miniature star, hovered above her palm. She watched it as she turned from the passage on her left to the passage on her right. As she shone the light towards the right, the star glowed, and then dimmed again. Fin smiled. "That way."

She was off, her hand outstretched, lighting her way. When she came to a crossroad, she would navigate with her own star. Artwork lined the corridor walls, but to none of them did the star respond. Fin suddenly felt something snap at her ankle. She yelped in shock, then pain. Moving her light to see her shin, she was caught in some kind of human bear-trap. She tried to move it, and then winced. "Oww..."

"Trap 4! We caught her! We caught Kaitou Fin!"

Fin cursed to herself bitterly as the catcall resounded through the building. How was she going to explain _this _to her parents? After all, they had the brains to be cautious, they had the brains to check for traps, they never got caught! Jeanne was blonde, for god sake! The fact her limb was caught in a simple trap like this was almost an insult. She heard footsteps behind her. Great. Just great.

This was where her embarrassing arrest comes in. She braced herself for the icy, metallic handcuffs that would soon entrap her wrists...a chuckle came from behind her.

"You seem to have got yourself into a bit of a predicament, Fin Fish."

Fin turned, her bright green eyes meeting with grey - soft grey, like rain. His hair was tied back in a familiar high-ponytail. His tunic had a high collar and only just came down past his waist. It was black with silver fastenings, which contrasted well with his mauve, Arabian style pantaloons. (hehe, pantaloons w) and black boots that came to the ankle. The most obvious of his weaponry was the sword, which rested easily at his hip, but Fin knew that an entire range of knives and daggers were hidden upon his person; Like, for instance, that one time she'd got tangled in a net, he used a miniature knife, the length of a needle and the width of an ice-lolly stick - only certainly sharper and more deadly than any rocket pop stick - to cut her free...and said knife had been hidden on the side of his boot.

He smirked at the green haired girl, arms crossed against his front. Fin scowled. "Are you gonna help me or not?"

He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "What's in it for me?"

"My gratitude?"

He laughed. "23 years ago, that's all I would ever of wanted. But prices have gone up..."

Fin turned a glowing shade of beetroot. Since when had he become so much like Chiaki? Did the male role of the Kaitou business do something to you're head, perhaps, like give you the biggest, fattest ego in the world?

Fin harrumphed with fury. "Fine! Leave me to get arrested, see if I care!"

The free Kaitou sighed, smiling to himself in amusement. Same old Fin. With a shrug of his shoulders, and the sound of moving quicksilver, a large handle appeared at his shoulder. With one swift movement, he pulled the thick blade from it's sheath and swung it with massive force, severing the bear-trap into two, freeing Fin, but narrowly missing her leg.

"BAKA! Did you want to chop my leg off?! Maybe, if I lost a leg, I wouldn't be so much of a threat, and you could checkmate easier!"

He didn't have time to retort though, as, at the end of the hall, an officer cried out "She's free! Fin has got out! A-an-and Kaito Access! He's shown up!"

Access smiled simply, saluting the officer. "Kaitou Tenshi Access Time, Master of Blades. I will steal your sorrows."

The statement brought on the usual confused looks, and, using this to his advantage, two blades, hulking, thick, both each about seven foot long, appeared in his hands. Stabbing them into the floor in a X formation, he created an instant blockade. Ignoring her protests, Access pulled Fin's arm over his shoulder, hauling her to the end of the hall, where a massive entrance way opened out into a huge foyer. And the centre piece of this foyer, hung in the centre of the back wall, was a giant painting, filled with Seraphim and Cherubs and Saints and Heralds. It was called _The Angel's gathering_. It was their target. The demon stirred at their presence, almost knowing it's end was near. Access smirked at her.

"Well, I'm afraid I have to seal a demon for a moment, so you'll have to stand up on your own."

Fin felt like spitting at him as he pushed her arm off his shoulders. She gingerly put her foot down, the weight and pressure torturing her, but that didn't matter.

No way was Access going to run off with _another _demon. She'd never hear the end of it from Zen; _"Access: 7, Fin: 2!! TWO!! Pathetic, Natsuki-Chan! Back when they were playing the game, Jeanne was whooping Sinbad's butt from here to Timbuktu!!!"_

Although Fin would love to kick Access' ass to Timbuktu, her current condition did not help her do this, so stealing his checkmate would have to suffice. She smirked, summoning an arrow, landing in her open hand. She watched as Access summoned a tiny dagger, about to pierce the painting. "Check-"

"AARRGH!!" Fin screamed with total agony. Alerted by her cry, Access turned, his heart skittering a beat, to see what was the matter...only to see Kaitou Fin Fish lunge forward, plunging her arrow into the painting. "CHECKMATE!" The white bishop fell into the out held hand. Access stared at her, wide-eyed. "You...screamed..."

Fin snorted. "You try rushing forward with a leg like this, and try not yelling at all."

"Did you even try to not cry out?"

"Why do you ask?"

"It put me off!!!"

"Shouldn't let yourself be put off, the, should you?"

Access watched her for a moment, with his stormy eyes. "...I can't help it if I worry about you..."

"I'm not a little kid, Shinji! Leave me alone!" Despite her leg shaking uncontrollably, despite pain shooting through her with every step, anger and indignation fuelled her on as she stormed away, avoiding police and keeping to the shadows, and finally gliding away into the night when she found her way out of the building.

She landed at the end of the driveway, and, pulling her rosary from her chest, re-transformed into Nagoya Natsuki. Kami's strength drained for her, and suddenly the searing pain in her leg was unbearable. She crumbled to the floor, gasping breathlessly, cursing as she spotted a light turning on in the house before her. The balcony doors flung open, and a man with sky blue hair and eyes exactly like her own stormed onto the veranda. "Nagoya Natsuki, You are dead, young lady!"

Natsuki groaned. "Yes, Dad..."

.oOoOo.

"23 years ago, I put all my being into a mission that could either succeed or fail. That mission was to stop Kusakabe Maron from being Kaito Jeanne. I could dissuade, I could attempt to manipulate her, I could batter my eyelids and beg her, but I had no authority over her. So Maron continued her god-forsaken mission. _However,_ Natsuki, _I am your father._ As a Father, I have enough authority to bar your windows and put a padlock on your bedroom door, if I want! But I don't want to, I want to trust you. So stop sneaking out and just let Shinji seal the demons! I had to put up with your mother risking her life almost nightly, so like HELL I'm going to go through that with you!"

Natsuki sat in the armchair as Nagoya Chiaki paced the length of the study, ranting and raving. Natsuki was bored; she'd heard it all before. But mixed with her boredom, their was droplets of guilt. Dad had a point, it was unfair to make him worry so much throughout his life. He was already ageing prematurely; the sky blue was beginning to lighten with greys. But his eyes were still shocking blue, as cool as his demeanour. Only now he wasn't his normal, cool self. He was furious, he was frustrated, he was...Natsuki's heart softened...he was worried...

"Dad, you know Shinji can't do this on his own, despite what he thinks."

"Shinji is a 20 year old third grade Dan in Karate, and he has plenty of skills with swordsmanship, he is Captain of his Gymnast team, plus he has Miyako for a mother!" snapped Chiaki "He can handle a few weakling demons without Kaitou Fin Fish."

"It's my destiny, Dad! Kami has given me this pow-"

"I don't give a damn! Kami has torn this family apart enough in the past. I don't care about Kami or Maou, or humanity, for that matter!"

"So how come you spend all your time at the hospital looking after _humans?"_

Chiaki growled. "Don't sass me, young lady! This is idoicy whilst you are in your condition! Kaitou Tenshi Fin Fish is history, understood? As long as you are under this roof, you follow these rules!" His face blanched, realising the seed he'd planted.

Natsuki raised an eyebrow, then stood, her face red and blotchy with anger. "Fine! I'll just move out from under this roof then!"

Chiaki groaned, remembering how his father had reacted when he had said those exact words to him. He bit his lip, then said in a still, cool voice "You aren't going anywhere with that leg."

"Some tape'll fix it up fine." Natsuki retorted.

"Natsuki..." his voice was low and warning. Natsuki spun to face her father, wincing at the twinge of protest her leg gave, but saying none the less "It doesn't matter when, I'm still moving! And don't try to stop me, hypocrite!"

Nagoya Chiaki was speechless as he watched the young girl stalk off gingerly to her room. He smiled sadly. "So much for authority..."

.oOoOo.

Wednesday. Fully recovered, Nagoya Natsuki smiled sweetly at her group of friends. "Minna! I'm baack!"

"Nagoya-chaaaan!"

Natsuki smiled brightly at her friends, all but one completely oblivious to her double life. Kani and Kuri were fraternal twins, Kani being a guy and Kuri a girl. Despite their different tastes, they were twins who were definite drama-nerds. Then there was Hariko, who was gossip queen and the duchess of malls. Your typical teen queen. And, of course, there was Yurina, short name Rina, who was Natsuki's best friend ever, plus the only friend she had who knows about Tenshi Kaitou Fin Fish...besides Shinji and her parents, of course.

"Where have you been, Natsuki-chan?" prodded Hariko. No doubt looking for gossip titbits. Sorry, no dice.

"I was bit by a dog, I had to stay at home." She pulled down her sock slightly, revealing the healing wounds that the bear-trap left. Rina gave her a piercing look. Natsuki could only smile weakly in reply. "It doesn't hurt too much." She assured them.

"It must've hurt a lot when it first bit you, Natsuki-chan!"

She turned and grinned at Kani, whose eyes were wide at the sight of the wound...or was it that he was looking at a girl's leg? Kani had a bit of a reputation for being a bit perverted, but everyone just made fun of him for it.

"It hurt a little." She confessed. Rina still hadn't said anything, which unnerved Natsuki. She gave her best friend a pleading look. Rina sighed in aggravation.

"Baka." She muttered, and then gave Natsuki a sad smile, which Natsuki returned ten-fold.

"Class! To your seats!" called Hiroshi-sensei.

"Hai!"

There was a stampede as the students of Natsuki's class got to their seats. Natsuki let her head flop into her hand, resting her elbow on the table surface. She had first planned on asking Rina to let her stay at hers, but the issue of Rina's parents had destroyed that plan. If only her Dad wasn't so stubborn!...

Natsuki bit her lip. She worried her parents. A lot. They didn't deserve a daughter like her, after all they had been through. But she had inherited Eve's power of reincarnation from Fin; therefore it was her place to capture the wandering Demons that still loitered on earth, even after Maou's demise.

And Shinji was a show-off who was determined to 'help' her. But somehow his help had turned into a grisly contest. How he succeeded, Natsuki did not know; being at college, working as an assistant teacher in a karate class, and yet still practising his swordsmanship, making time for Gymnastics training, and hanging around at home enough to keep Miyako happy.

On top of being a Kaito.

In Natsuki's opinion, his life was one hectic blur of extra-curricular activities. Probably why he didn't have a girlfriend. Also – what kind of guy did gym? True, it's very handy to know how to do a one handed back-flip when you need to throw a knife at the same time, and his gymnastic skill had saved not only his own, but Natsuki's butt numerous times too. That was depressing.

_How did Dad get to be as good a Kaito as he was, I wonder?_ Natsuki pondered absent-mindedly. _I know he would never set foot in a Gym...unless Mum was performing in it._

Maron had attempted to get Natsuki to join rhythmic gymnastics, but Natsuki ended up tripping over her own ribbon, standing on someone's hand and twisting her own ankle. She hadn't been invited back.

"Finally," the sensei started, jolting Natsuki a bit. She'd zoned out during briefing again. Just fab. "We have a new student joining us today. Please welcome Yamiwa Makua."

Natsuki, along with the rest of her class, peered at the front of the room, and she, along with most of the girls in the class, gasped.

Yamiwa Makua was tall, about 6"2, and his body, though slight, was very well toned. You could see it through his white shirt. He had black hair, and eyes the colour of mahogany, and his mouth was set in a perfect, heart-breaking smile. "Nice to meet you all." He said. His voice was very pleasant, Natsuki noted. His eyes scanned the room, taking in each face. When his eyes met Natsuki's, she felt her cheeks warm. "I look forward to getting to know each and every one of you."

He turned to Hiroshi-sensei and bowed, before moving silently to his seat...which was right behind Natsuki. She stiffened, as if she could feel the boy's gaze upon her back. In a weak attempt to hide her blushing face, she bent over her work, letting her hair fall like a curtain around her face.

.oOoOo.

"Is it wise for you to keep doing this to yourself, Natsuki?" Rina asked quietly, her eyes downcast. It was lunchtime, and the two friends had taken refuge from the summer heat under trees in the school grounds. Rina looked up meaningfully, her words laced with worry. "Especially with your condition. Don't you think your Dad has a point? These risks are stupid!"

"These risks, Rina, are my purpose." Natsuki replied tonelessly. She looked across the field, envious at how carefree her classmates were. Sixteen and in the throes of young love. As far back as Natsuki could remember, she had been in love once.

But those memories were weird...and awkward...

Because they weren't even her own.

Yet...she could remember everything. Screaming out in fear as her hair was ripped away by her brother's cold knife, screaming out _his_ name...feeling total loss, total pain, because she was sentenced to die, and she could not tell _him_ that she loved him... Stepping into the darkness, afraid and disgusted with myself, but determined to see _him_ again, just once... Causing _him_ pain, simply by being dirty and impure..._not even worth his touch, to touch would bring him pain..._

Confessing her love... Near death, yet saved thanks to _his_ and Kami's efforts... and then...most confusing of all...

Silent serenity, a garden, a sense of a coming battle. Sweet fears, sweet longing, sweet lips quell her sorrows...whose lips? _His lips. _The one she cared most for. Her precious one. Whose precious one? Natsuki's?

_No. Jun-tenshi...Da-tenshi...Pure-tenshi....Sei-tenshi..._

Fin Fish.

Natsuki frowned. She'd asked her mother if she could remember things from her past lives, but Maron had only said that her past-life memories are of when she herself went back in time, to the day Jeanne D'Arc was burned. She did not shared Jeanne's memories, like Natsuki shared Fin's.  
Did Shinji have Access Time's memories? Natsuki had never thought to ask. It would explain why he was always looking out for her - but was he as confused by them as she was? It made her always wonder if her emotions were her own.

"I think you should stop."

Natsuki was snapped out of her musings, and she stared at Rina. Rina stared defiantly back. "I say this as your best friend. You. Are. Ill. Your Dad is a Doctor, and a past Kaitou. He knows what he's talking about, why won't you listen."

"Why should I listen to him when he won't listen to me?!" Natsuki glowered angrily.

"Because he speaks from experience, whereas your a mouthy teenager!"

"So are you!"

Rina stopped, then sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, Natsuki. You can't stay at my place. Talk it over with your parents." and with that, she got up and walked away. Natsuki didn't look at her friend as she left. She was afraid that she would cry if she did. Natsuki knew that they were all only worried about her, and that all their words were in her best interests. But something inside her made her defy them, made her follow her own instincts and emotions. Her emotions siad she had a duty to play out, therefore she would.

But in order to follow her heart, she needed a plan.

"Natsuki."

First, she needed to get a home of her own.

"Natsuki!"

Somewhere remote, where no-one would look for her. She could enroll at a new school too...

"OI! BAKA!"

"WHAT ZEN?!" Natsuki snapped, staring up at the Tenshi above her head.

"Job tonight. I've already sent the notice. I saw Celesta there - thought I should warn you that your parents asked Access Time to collect you from school."

Natsuki sighed, throwing her head into her lap. "Great. Just what I needed."

In order to follow her heart, she needed a plan. First, she needed to get a home of her own. Somewhere remote, where no-one would look for her...

"Thanks, Zen. Thanks for letting me know."

* * *

I'll happily do a glossary if you ask for one, but at the minute it's 2:15 am and I zonked. This whole thing is a bit OOC, but I think I nailed Chiaki's over-protective tendancies. lol.

Based on Manga, peeps. I recommend it - uberly better than the anime. READ IT FREE ON !!!

Hehe...Pantaloons. That's a funny word...

Queenie xx


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